Australia's housing boom is starting to slow, raising the prospect of more sustainable growth in the property market.

Home loan and house price data from the Australian Bureau of Statistics on Tuesday showed the property market was still looking good but had pulled back from the boom seen late last year, JP Morgan economist Tom Kennedy said.

The number of home loans approved in March fell 0.9%, weaker than economists' expectations of a 0.5% rise.

Australian capital city house prices rose 1.7% in the March quarter, softer than the 2.9% increase economists were expecting.

"We saw very, very solid growth in Sydney and Melbourne and most other major property markets and what we're seeing now is a pullback," Kennedy said.

"Over the past few months there's been quite a slowdown and deceleration from the euphoria we saw in the second half of last year."

But that growth had been unsustainable, Kennedy said, and "prices are now growing at levels that are perhaps more sustainable over the long term".

Other data, such as auction clearance rates and building approvals, were also pointing to a wind-down in the housing market, he said.

Westpac senior economist Matthew Hassan said the housing market was moderating and would continue to do so this year after a very strong finish to 2013.

Rising prices had dampened consumer sentiment around buying a property, he said.

"It's just becoming more difficult for owner occupiers to get into the market," Hassan said.

"What we're seeing from our consumer sentiment survey … indicates price gains are starting to impact buyer perceptions and point to a slowing in price growth by the middle of the year."